Roger Federer blew a gaping hole in the credibility of the Paris Masters on Monday when the world number one joined Rafael Nadal in pulling out of the â,¬2-million tournament.
The Swiss top seed cited fatigue for his no-show, the third year in succession he has opted out of the penultimate event of the season.
Nadal, who has never played the tournament, pulled out on Sunday with a stomach muscle injury.
ATP chief Etienne de Villiers was furious with the developments, which followed the earlier withdrawals of fellow top tenners, David Nalbandian, Ivan Ljubicic and Andy Roddick.
”I’m deeply disappointed and concerned by the depletion in the field,” said the South African.
”Unfortunately, this is the third year that withdrawals and injuries have hurt the event.
”This reinforces my determination to introduce meaningful change to the calendar, the structure, the incentives and sanctions needed to have healthy, motivated top players grace our top events.”
Beleaguered organisers were forced to hand Federer’s place in the draw to Russian lucky loser Teimuraz Gabashvili, who gets a bye into the second round.
Comparisons between the two make grim reading with Federer, the owner of 44 titles and $27-million prize money, replaced by the world number 130 who has banked a modest $278 000.
Little wonder spectators voted with their feet with the 13,000-capacity Palais Omnisports venue, barely a third-full on Monday.
However, former triple champion Marat Safin did his best to save the day with a 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) win over France’s Nicolas Mahut, which kept him on course to be seeded at the Australian Open in January.
The charismatic Russian, whose ranking slipped to 104 in the summer after a year dogged by injuries, came into Paris at 34 in the world.
Against a hapless Mahut, former world number one Safin fired down 17 aces in his 74-minute win.
Federer, who wrapped up his 11th title of the season on Sunday, when he won his hometown Basel tournament, had hinted that he would withdraw in order to save himself for the Masters Cup in Shanghai from November 12.
His win over Fernando Gonzalez in Basel was his 92nd match of 2006.
Tournament co-director Cedric Pioline admitted that the scheduling of events was at the heart of the problem.
”There’s a problem with the structure of the calendar between Masters Series events and other tournaments,” he said.
”The only penalty of any use would be suspension. It’s the only thing the players understand because financial penalties won’t make any difference.”
Federer has had a hectic three weeks, winning the titles in Tokyo, the Madrid and then Basel.
”I’ve played a lot,” he said after his straight-sets win over Gonzalez on Sunday.
”This is my 92nd match of the season, I have to be careful.”
The withdrawal of the world top three left Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko as the highest ranked player in Paris.
Federer and Nadal, who has been replaced by Sweden’s Robin Soderling, have already qualified for the Masters Cup as have Ljubicic, Roddick and Davydenko, which leaves three more places in the eight-man field up for grabs.
Not that such calculations concerned Monday’s supporting cast.
Pint-sized Olivier Rochus, his brother Christophe and Kristof Vliegen did their best to prove there’s more to Belgian tennis at the moment than Kim Clijsters’ wedding plans, by all making the second round.
They saw off Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic 6-4, 7-5, Jose Acasuso of Argentina and Florent Serra of France respectively.
Robby Ginepri, one of three Americans left in the draw, beat Belarus qualifier Max Mirnyi 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. — Sapa-AFP